Life Without Maid

My maid, S, has been with us for 2 years and taking care of my mentally retarded 2nd sis-in-law. She recently went back to her country Semerang, Indonesia for 2 weeks for a break before continuing another 10 months with us.

Sigh.... call it unfortunate and bad timing... my sis-in-law became "bed-ridden" and complaint of pain in the leg and hip where the clinic doctors, hospital doctors and Chinese Sinseh, etc., could not pinpoint what was wrong with her. During the maid's absence and no one to take care, we had to send her to a nursing home which cost $80 per day for 18 days! Otherwise, if she was in her "normal" state, she would be at a care centre which cost cheaper...

Now, without our maid, our lifestyle changes drastically... somehow...:-

1. No one prepares milk / breakfast in the morning for us and we have to do it ourselves - dread... extra thing to do and need to rush in the morning...;
2. No one washes, hang and fold our clothes and we have to do it at night when we return from work - no choice, else, they accumulate if we don't wash... ;
3. No one irons our clothes - we still hang our crumpled clothes and awaiting S to come back - ironing clothes is a boring task ...;
4. No one cleans the home daily - we just sweep and mop the house once a week - floor not that dirty actually...;
5. No one cooks dinner and we got to pack our dinner or eat out everyday - extra cost incurred but get to choose different kind of food other than home cooked food...;
6. No one fetch Zozo from student care and she got to go back home herself - she's a bit reluctant to be home alone and I need to go back early to pick her up from after school care....
7. ...

Well... Good thing about no maid and sick person at home...

1. 2 less people in the house!!!
2. Zozo has to learn to be independent and not always rely on maid to get things done for her...
3. Me and my hubby wash / hang and dry our clothes together at night and I find it enjoyable...
4. House chores can be done once a while and it is no big deal actually - our home is quite clean...
5. As long as maid is around, we always had home dinner by default. Now, we just eat out and enjoy dinner outside / pack dinner till S returns...
6. As no one cooks, we need not go buy food and groceries on Sundays at NTUC...
7. As no one cooks dinner, my other sis-in-laws did not to come to our house on the 2 Sundays for gathering... Phew... PEACE!!!

I kinda like this lifestyle change...